Silva Earns National Player of the Week Honor

By Shannon McNamara

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October 08, 2013 02:55 PM

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University senior forward Frances Silva has been named the Disney Soccer/NSCAA Player of the Week, announced the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

The Overland Park, Kan., native also has been named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, while freshman midfielder Ashley Lawrence has been named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week.

Today’s national award is the second career honor for Silva, as she first won the award on Sept. 26, 2012, following her six-point performance against a pair of Big 12 Conference opponents.

Silva’s Big 12 honor is her second of the season and the third of her career. She previously earned the offensive weekly accolade on Sept. 10 following her five-point performance at the Duke Nike Classic. Lawrence’s honor is the first of her career. Today’s two Big 12 honors follow a WVU sweep of the awards last week. The Mountaineers show a conference-best seven honors for the season.

Silva led the No. 9-ranked Mountaineers (9-2-2, 3-0 Big 12) to their fifth straight victory and third conference win of the season with two goals in WVU’s 2-1 victory over Texas on Oct. 4, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium, in Morgantown. The contest was her first multi-goal game of the season and pushed her season goal total to a team- and Big 12-best eight.

Through 13 games, Silva ranks No. 14 in the NCAA and No. 1 in the Big 12 with 26 points (8 goals, 10 assists). Her goal total is tops in the conference, No. 40 in the NCAA. Silva’s assist total and assist-per-game average (0.77) rank her No. 3 nationally, No. 1 in the Big 12. She has tallied at least one point in all but one match this season.

Lawrence, a Toronto, Ontario, native, set up Silva’s first score against the Longhorns on Friday, as she broke away from a pack of UT defenders and carried the ball across midfield before sending a cross to a streaking Silva, who beat UT goalie Abby Smith far post from 10-yards out. Lawrence was the spark WVU needed Friday night, as she played all 90 minutes and was tough to slow down, routinely carrying the ball from one end of the field to the other. She tallied a game-best four shots.

The Mountaineers continue their four-match homestand with two games at Dick Dlesk this weekend. WVU will welcome Iowa State on Friday, Oct. 11, for a 7 p.m. match, and TCU on Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest.

Friday is the Mountaineers’ Pink Game, and all fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness. The Mountaineers raised $15,781 this spring in their effort to help fight breast cancer, pushing their 10-year total to more than $100,000. A check will be presented to the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at halftime of Friday’s game.

Fans also are encouraged to bring sundry items, such as scarves, nail polish, books, lotion and socks, for donation to the Betty Puskar Breast Care Center on Friday. No monetary donations will be accepted. A banner will be hanging outside the stadium Friday night, and fans are asked to write the names of loved ones who have been affected by the disease. Fans who write on the banner and/or donate an item will receive one free ticket to Friday’s game.